In reply: I thank Smith for the opportunity to clarify some scientific points. The science behind climate change is undeniable and was reviewed in February this year. Moreover, “there is a greater than 90 per cent probability that the warming observed since the 1950s is due to human activities”. Therefore, attempts to prevent environmental calamity will not succeed with boundless population growth. In this sense, the more people there are, the worse it is for our earth. In particular, no nation should encourage population growth. I do not argue for compulsory sterilisation. I do argue that we recognise the cost of every extra human being to our overburdened earth.
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